Hey gentlemen.Im as you know new to this great forum. I have seen that there are many different collecting areas here and that is wery interesting. So I wonder if there is any one that collect or has any original SOG knives from the Vietnam war era that you can show?Sterile or presentation knives.

hey Martin
Just the one on the OD green poncho liner is mine, I have a few but thought Id show some that Ive pirated the photos from ebay, LOL
Yea I bought that one from Hardy, Ive got another that came from a grouping I'll see if I can find some pix
thanks
paul

They were issued to the MACV/ SOG,LRRP teams,and Spike Teams, during the Viet-Nam war. The First were the recon version then came the bowie style.There are several variations of both.They were also made by several different suppliers. Originaly $9.95, now $1000.00 and up.

SOG is the term given to them by collectors as this is who used them the most.Men attached to Special Operations Group or as it was also known as Special Observation Group earlier in the War.A friend of mine who carried one of these called it a "throw away"knife.This being if you lost it or threw it away it wasnt like loosing your Randall.Most of the issue ones were sterile for the purpose of not being traceable back to the US Forces on missions across the fence.If memory serves me correctly Ben Baker is the one credited for development and early procurement of these knives through the CISO program.There is various models and styles but they all have similiar style hand guards,leather grips,black or white spacers in the grip,and similiar blade grinds. The two main model differances are shown above.The first type having a longer,narrower blade which I think is an earlier model( or have been told)then the second style with the shorter wider blade.With in this series you will encounter variations in blade finninsh(blue or plum),variations in cross guard thickness(narrow and fat..fat guard)also the material varied in guard and pommel construction materials.These being brass,alumium,or steel.These second types are often the ones seen and used for presentation pieces.The knifes as far as I know were produced by a firm in Japan.There also exsists another style that is referred to as a Marine Recon.Same basic handle configuration but with a broader more bellied blade and it has a blood groove on each side of the blade of the ones I have seen.

There has been several articles done on these knives and books too.Frank Trzaska has done arcticles on them as well as Mike Siveys book and Tom Clinton put out a book on the Special Forces knives.

Im sure there are other forum members who can give you a better run down on the SOG knives.I hope this helps.Take care,

I will try to help throw some more light on the SOG knives allong with Doyler. http://www.usmilitar...tyle_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif The SOG knives were made and issued to SOGs (Studies and Observation Group) clandestine and cross-borderrecon teams (RT) and Spike teams (ST) for their across the fence missions.The knives were made by CISO (counterinsurgency support office) stationed at Okinawa.Founder of the knife was Conrad Ben Baker.The longer model was the SOG 7" Recon and the shorter more common one is 6" SOG Bowie.

The 7" RECON, had made total of 1,308 knives.

The 6" SOG "Bowie" was made by many different makers and that is one of the reasons to whythe guards, spine patterns, ricassos, etc., can be different from knife to knife.The hilt and pommel can be of aluminum, iron and brass that is the mainly used material.(if Iīv been told right)The 6" SOG comes in 3 type of blades. The blade was dark blued but some knives can be seen with the unique plum colored oxidation, and came aboutbecause the dark blueing attained by some makers required a longer, hotter dip, which ruines blade temper.Plum-colored blades were coincidental to manufacturer. Some knives were allso chromed and used for presentation.There are 4 different type of leather sheaths.

In 1966 SOG ordered 1,200 sterile SOG knives.In 1967 another 3,700 sterile SOG knives was ordered (numbered 1-3700).1967 the 5th Special Forces Mess Association ordered 1,700 knives for presentation. These were dilivered with Dark blued or Plum colored blade and engraves/etched with SF crest and wording,5th SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (Abn) VIETNAM.In 1972 50 SOG knives were ordered and sent to Joint Casualty Resolution Center in Thailand.

There allso exist a SCUBA/DEMO model knife, and there were 39 made.

Books and article about the SOG knife and photos an be found in:

-KNIVES OF THE U.S. SPECIAL FORCES, by Tom Clinton.-KNIVES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY IN VIETNAM, by Mike Silvey.-UNITED STATES MILITARY COLLECTORS GUIDE, by Gary Boyd and Mike Silvey.-SPECIAL FORCES OF THE U.S. ARMY, by Ian Sutherland.-MACV STUDIES AND OBSERVATION GROUP, Volume IV, by Harve Saal.-in FIGHTING KNIVES Fall 1991, article by, Ben Baker.

I donīt really know if this question is right to post in this thread?
I got an original SOG presentation knife and the sheath is very hard in the leather. The knife was used after the Vietnam war during hunting trips, and was at one time lost in the woods by the hunting cabin and found again the year later. When found again it ended up in the garage and the sheath has become very dry and stiff, and
Im a little worried that it is going to dry up even more and crack.
My question is what can and should I use to save the sheath?

Sounds like the leather is case hardening.I would start by soaking it in water then letting it dry slowly like in a closet. When it gets mostly dry (still a little damp to the touch) start rubbing it down with leather lotion. The water in the leather will expand the pores and as it dries will draw the lotion into the expanded pores. This may not be technically right but it is how it was explained to me by an old bootmaker. And to his credit I have had good results with this process. Wrapping the sheath in newspaper to slow the drying process doesn't hurt either.
Or " It's junk but as a favor I'll take it off your hands,what ya gotta have for it" LOL

I have had some luck with older leather using liquid glycerin saddle soap.This is a spray on material and will darken light leather.You wont have to worry as the SOG sheath is already dark.the beauty of the liquid gyceri saddle soap is it can be used on wet or dry leather.One thin on the old dry leather is after appling the L-G saddle soap you may want to top coat it with Pecards or some thing similiar to keep the leather from drying out completely.Pecards is good as it is a bees wax base.You can then treat with Black Rock leather conditioner and products.

Well this thread is old I know but maybe someone will post their original SOG? http://www.usmilitar...tyle_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif I know there must be many collectors on this great forum that has a SOG laying some were, Here is on of mine, bought from G. Ruleford.